1. The Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates generally to fishing devices and implements, and more particularly, but not necessarily entirely, to strike indicators and devices for setting fish hooks.
2. Description of Related Art
In fly fishing, a small substantially weightless hooked lure which resembles a fly or other bug is cast into the water. Normally the lure is attached to a monofilament “leader” which is virtually transparent in the water. The leader is attached to a line, which is usually opaque. For most species of fish, the fly fisherman uses either a surface-type fly or one that swims underwater. Disregarding trout flies, for the moment, most other flies used to take fish in salt and fresh water fall into two categories: Popping bugs that sit on the surface and are designed to make noise, and streamers which are underwater flies and are designed to imitate baitfish or leeches. Among the most popular surface-type flies for trout are conventional dry flies, terrestrial, thorax, paradun, parachute, Griffin's Gnat style, no-hackle, spinner, Renegade or fore and aft style, skater, variant, caddis and stonefly. Underwater flies for trout include wet flies, nymphs, soft hackle flies and streamers.
When a lure is cast into the water, a fish may attack the lure for a variety of reasons including instinct, anger or hunger, during which time an angler has an opportunity to set the hook. If the lure floats unnaturally in the water or if the line or lure makes a big splash, the fish may be spooked and seek cover, avoiding the lure. Assuming that the fish attacks the lure, for the angler to hook the fish he must know that it is mouthing the lure. If the angler is using a surface-type fly, the line, leader and fly are all on the surface of the water and it is easier for the angler to make a strike at the appropriate moment. It is for this reason that most people prefer dry fly fishing for trout.
Trout and many other fish, however, feed underwater nearly all of the time and are more likely to be taken on a lure that swims under the water. Knowing when a fish has taken a wet fly, nymph or the like is traditionally done by feel and takes a great deal of training to perfect. When an underwater fly is used in fly-fishing, the strike of a fish is often difficult to detect. Recently, fly-fishermen have begun using strike indicators attached to the leaders of their fly lines to better detect when a fish strikes their fly.
Typically, a fly is cast upstream and is fished back downstream to the fisherman. The fly typically moves naturally with the current downstream towards the fisherman. The fisherman often utilizes a floating strike indicator to help track the progress of the fly downstream. If a fish bites or eats the fly, motion will be imparted on the strike indicator that is inconsistent with the current. For example, the strike indicator may be pulled underwater by the fish, or the strike indicator may move upstream instead of downstream, or it may move cross-current, etc. When the fisherman notices this inconsistent movement; the fisherman will attempt to quickly set the hook embedded in the fly (or other lure) through a quick movement or manipulation of the fishing pole. The fisherman must attempt to set the hook very quickly in the mouth of the fish or risk giving the fish time to determine that the lure is a hook or other fishing device, whereby the fish would allow the fly to move out of its mouth.
Strike indicators attempt to signal the moment that the fly has been eaten by the fish. The fisherman must maintain a balance between letting the fly float naturally with the current and keeping the line taught enough to deliver a quick, sharp hook set. Beginning fly-fishermen find this very difficult and experienced fly-fishermen never fully master the technique.
Thus, strike indicators are known in the fly fishing industry. There are a number of different indicators. For example, a convenient strike indicator is known commercially as a “stick on” closed-cell dumb bell-shaped pad. The pads have a contact glue back and are prepunched on a rectangular sheet. Individual pads are simply peeled off and pressed around the leader at the desired point. The pad has the advantage of relatively soft impact on the water, but it has a one-time use.
Another type of indicator is a tiny ball with a hole through the center, being in effect a small bobber. The leader is inserted in the hole and the ball is positioned on the leader. To keep it at the selected point, a toothpick is inserted between the hole and the leader and the excess toothpick is broken off. This type of float has the disadvantage of hitting the water with a fairly loud splash.
An indicator can be made from a small tube of closed-cell foam through which a heated wire is pushed. The leader is threaded through the hole and a small piece of yarn attached so that it protrudes from the top of the foam tube. When a fish pulls the foam tube under, the yarn comes to a vertical position. This indicator is very visible as the yarn alert makes the strike more noticeable. The indicator lands with a splash and is therefore disadvantageous.
Indicators can also be made from yarn treated with a silicone fly floatant. Sections of yarn are tied to the leader with the ends trimmed to keep the leader tippet from twisting. This indicator has the distinct advantage of being able to wind inside the guides, but it does not float as well as closed-cell foam indicators and it must be clipped off when the angler is done fishing, thereby destroying the indicator.
It is noteworthy that none of the devices known to applicant provides a trapped air device that is durable enough to be used over and over. There is a long felt, but currently unmet need, for a trapped air strike indicator and trapped air fly design that is inexpensive to make and simple in operation.
The known devices are thus characterized by several disadvantages that are addressed by the present disclosure. The present disclosure minimizes, and in some aspects eliminates, the above-mentioned failures, and other problems, by utilizing the structural features and methods described herein.
The features and advantages of the disclosure will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the disclosure without undue experimentation. The features and advantages of the disclosure may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.